This restored French Quarter home, owned by Nicolas Cage, is said to be one of New Orleans' most-haunted sites.

The LaLaurie Mansion
New Orleans, La.

Said to be one of the most haunted homes in New Orleans, the LaLaurie Mansion -- and its dark past -- is up for sale. Originally built for French royalty, this mansion's ghost stories start in the 1830s with the LaLaurie family and their sadistic slave abuse.

From the outside, the family appeared to be upstanding socialites. But a few months after they arrived in the French Quarter, neighbors started to whisper about how the family's maids or stable boys would be replaced frequently, with no explanation -- and then never seen again. When the couple's home caught fire, firemen finally discovered the awful truth. The cook was found chained to the fireplace, and sent authorities to the third floor of the house, where they discovered a secret locked door. Behind the door, more than a dozen brutally-abused slaves were chained to the walls. Accounts vary as to what the LaLauries did to the victims, but range from starving, beating and limb removal to far more unspeakable acts.

Shockingly, the LaLauries managed to escape the authorities, but the ghost stories and sightings started almost as soon as they fled the city. The home remained unoccupied for many years, with the few tenants reporting mysterious screams and strange noises. Others claimed that they were strangled in the night by an invisible force, or saw shackled servants roaming the halls.

Actor Nicolas Cage, who currently owns the house, has had guests over for dinner, but is reportedly scared to sleep here. Want to pick up the home? After nearly a year on the market, the home is set to be auctioned on November 12 to pay Cage's mounting IRS tax debt. No word if his macabre, circus-inspired paintings will be included in the sale price, but, rest assured, the ghosts will most definitely be part of the deal.

Learn more about the LaLaurie Estate auction >>

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